EFL teacher David Appleyard
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Smoothing and improving transatlantic communication
Index of Briticisms
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Americanisms

 

AmericanBritish term or expression BritishAmerican equivalent, or explanation
gaff [colloq.] somebody's house or home
gaffer [colloq.] foreman, boss
gallery (highest floor in theatre with cheapest seats) balcony
gallon (1 imperial gallon = 4.55 litres) gallon (1 U.S. gallon = 3.79 liters)
galoshes rubbers
gammon cured ham
gangway aisle
gaol [old-fashioned] jail
garage drive driveway
garden, back garden yard, backyard
garden path front walk
gardening leave paid leave when not allowed to work or start new job
gas cooker gas stove
gasper [slang] cigarette
gateau rich layer cake with cream and perhaps fruit
gawp [colloq.]  (stare in a rude or stupid manner) gawk
gauze (on tripod over Bunsen burner in science lab) wire mesh screen
gazump (v.)  [colloq.] renege on promise to sell property at a previously agreed price after receiving a better offer from somebody else
gear lever gearshift; stick shift (if manual transmission);
gear changer (on a bicycle)  
gearing (ratio of loan capital to share capital) leverage
geezer [slang] male person, often elderly or in some way unusual
gelly (also 'jelly') [slang] gelignite
general practitioner (or GP) community doctor of the first instance
gen up on something [slang] get general details about something
Geordie [colloq.] native of Tyneside in northeast England;
the Tyneside local accent
get itchy feet [colloq.] get wanderlust (a stong urge to travel)
get one's cards [colloq.] be dismissed from one's job
get the push [colloq.] (be told to leave one's job) get fired  [colloq.]
get your knickers in a twist [colloq.] 
     (become agitated over something)  
get your panties in a knot [colloq.]
Get stuffed! [slang] Go to hell!
geyser gas-powered domestic water heater
git [slang] (as in 'You lying, thieving git!') skunk; unpleasant, contemptible person
give someone a lift give someone a ride
give someone a ring (telephone) give someone a call
give someone the elbow [colloq.] abruptly end a relationship or romance
give someone the push [colloq.] dismiss someone from their job
give someone their cards [colloq.]   dismiss someone from their job
give way (road sign) yield
glasses (spectacles) eyeglasses
glasses case eyeglass case
glasshouse greenhouse
go down a treat be enjoyable and well received
go into administration (help for insolvent company) file for bankruptcy protection
go-slow (union work-to-rule to push wage claim) slowdown
go to the cinema, go to the flicks or pictures [colloq.] go to a movie theater, go to the movies
go up the wooden hill to Bedforshire [colloq.] go upstairs to bed
gob [slang] (as in 'Shut your gob, mush!') trap [slang], mouth
gobstopper (very large round hard sweet, often
                     with layers of different colours)
jawbreaker
goggle-box [colloq.] the tube, the boob tube [both slang], TV set
gold top (gold-coloured foil cap on a 1-pint bottle
               of milk; see also silver top)
full-cream milk of the kind delivered to British homes
golden syrup pale, golden colored syrup  
gong [colloq.] medal or decoration for public service
good job (as in 'It's a good job he left') fortunate state of affairs
goods lorry freight truck
goods train freight train
goods wagon/waggon (enclosed type) boxcar
goods wagon/waggon (open, flat-bottomed type) gondola
goolies [slang]  (testicles) balls [slang]
goon jerk [slang], half-wit, silly or foolish person
goose pimples goose bumps
Gordon Bennett!  [exclamation] Holy smoke!
gormless [colloq.] unintelligent, dim-witted
governor, the [slang];
guvnor, guv [form of address]
ones's employer or person in position of authority;
used instead of 'sir' by one feeling socially inferior
graduate  (n.) U.K student with basic university or college degree
graduate (v.) leave university or college with a first degree
graduation ceremony commencement
graft [colloq.] work or toil
grafter [colloq.] hard worker
grammar school UK high school emphasizing academic study rather than practical skills
gramophone phonograph
grass [colloq.]  (informer, esp. police informer) fink [colloq.];
grass on somebody [slang] squeal on somebody
grass verge (strip of land bordering
                      road, path or flowerbed)
shoulder 
greaseproof paper parchment, parchment paper;
waxed paper, wax paper
green fingers (as in 'she's got green fingers',
                       meaning she's good at gardening)
green thumb (as in 'she has a green thumb')
greengrocer('s), greengrocery fruit and vegetable store
greetings card greeting card
Gretna Green, run away to elope
grill (n.) (type at top of oven) broiler
grill (v.) broil on a grill;
fry or toast on a griddle  
grotty unpleasant; dirty, shabby
ground floor first floor
groundsman (looks after sports ground, park, etc.) groundskeeper
group captain (Royal Air Force) colonel (U.S. Air Force)
guard (on a train) conductor
guard's van (on a train) caboose 
gubbins collection of unimportant objects or paraphernalia;
gadgetry needed for performing a specific task;
silly, simple-minded person or simpleton  
guillotine (office tool) paper cutter
gym shoe sneaker
gymslip plain tunic worn over girl's school uniform shirt
gypsy's [from rhyming slang 'gypsy's kiss' for 'piss'] 
             (as in 'I'm just going out for a gypsy's' to
              express an immediate need to urinate)
pee, piddle [colloq.]